Thill-coupling.



No. 628,255. Patented July 4, I899.

H.. c, SWAN.

THlLL COUPLING- (Application fil'ei Jan. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.)

a 25 v Ina/grater:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. SIVAN, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN.

THILL-CO UPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,255, dated July 4,1899.

Application filed January 16,1 899, Serial No. 702,216. (No model.)

To (1 56 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. SWAN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Oshkosh, Winnebago count-y, State of Visconsin,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailone mechanical form embodying the invention, such detailed constructionbeing but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used.

In said annexed drawings, Figure I represents a side elevation insection of my improved thill-coupling; Fig. II, a front elevation insection; Fig. III, a side elevation showing the shifter disengaged; Fig.IV, a plan view of my device, and Fig. V another form of thillattachment.

The bracket 1 is attached to the axle 2 of the vehicle by means ofsuitable flanges and a clip 3, that passes over the axle and is securedin bores 4, provided in the bracket. A thill-seat 5 is formed integralwith the bracket andis recessed, as at 6, in its central portion to forma bearing for the thill end. The bottom of said bracket is suitablycurved and is provided with an eccentric way 7, having a rib 8 formedthereon.

The shifter 9 consists of a hollow barrel 1O, provided with arms 11,each having an inwardly-proj ectin g thimble 12 for the purpose ofcentering the thill end. A movable plunger 13 is mounted within thebarrel and is provided with a head 14, having a recess 15 formed thereinto engage the rib 8. The plunger is pressed outwardly by means of aspring 16, contained within the barrel, and is held againstoutwarddisplacement by a washer 17, secured to the shank 18.

The end of the thill19 is formed with a head 20, provided with an eye21. Bores 22 are formed through the ends of the arms and the thimbles ofthe shifter, and the thill 25 is secured to the shifter by means of abolt or rivet 23 passing through said bores and the eye of v of thethill abuts against same, thus forming the eye.

The shifter is attached permanently to the thill, and in order to securethe thill in the bracket the shifter is brought into the nonoperativeposition shown in Fig. III and the thill is placed in its seat. Theshifter is then forced downwardly and rearwardly until the recess on thehead of the spring-bolt engages the rib formed on the bottom of thebracket, where it will be held firmly in place by the spring. In orderto remove the thill, the operation is simply reversed, the shifter beingpulled forwardly and upwardly until in its non-operative position, whenthe thill can be lifted out of the bracket. 7

By this construction thills, poles,and simi lar attachments can besecured to or taken from a vehicle without removing any bolts orotherwise changing the parts after they have once been adjusted. Theshifter is fastened securely to the thill and practically becomes a partthereof. It is immaterial whether the thill end seats in the recessedportion of the bracket or whether the bearing between the parts isprovided by the thimbles of the shifter and the sides of the thill-seat.Looseness between the thills and bracket, and consequent rattling, isprevented by the action of the spring. The coupling is also adapted tobe used in connection with numerous other articles and for a variety ofpurposes other than the ones particularly pointed out.

That I claim is 1. The combination with a bracket and a thill, of ashifter pivotally secured to said thill, said shifter being providedwith movable means engaging automatically with the bottom of the bracketto secure said thill to the bracket, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a bracket, a thill, and a shifter pivotallysecured to said thill, said shifter being provided with a movableplunger adapted to automatically engage with the bottom of said bracket,and secure said thill to the bracket, substantially as described.

3. In a thill-coupling, a bracket provided with a thill-seat having aneccentric way on its bottom, a thill, and a shifter secured to saidthill, provided with a plunger movable on said eccentric Way, andinterlocking with said bracket to secure said thill to the same,substantially as described.

4. In a thill-coupling, the combination with a bracket provided with athill-seat, and having an eccentric way on its bottom, of a shifterhavinginwardly-projecting thimbles, and provided with a plunger, movableon said eccentric way, and having interlocking engagement therewith, anda thill pivotally secured to said shifterbetween said thimbles, androtatable thereon, substantially as described.

5. In a tl1i1l-coupling,the combination of a bracket provided with aseat having a thillbearing formed therein, and an eccentric way HENRY C.SWAN.

\ Vitnesses:

E. B. GILGHRIST, G. M. WILKINS.

